Will die instead of striking deal: Imran

PTI announces it will challenge Iddat case verdict in high court

RAWALPINDI:

Following the verdict announced in the 'illegal' marriage case that sentenced him and his wife to seven years in jail, PTI founding chairman Imran Khan on Saturday insisted that he would die instead of striking a deal with the ‘powerful stakeholders’ whereas the party announced that the judgment would be challenged in the high court.

Speaking to reporters after the announcement of the verdict, the former premier maintained that the Iddat case was an attempt to humiliate him and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

He added that nobody had been convicted in a case related to Iddat in the country’s history.

Imran said it was also the first time that somebody was sentenced to 14 years in jail in a Toshakhana case.

The PTI founding chairman said around 200 cases had been registered against him, adding that nobody had been booked so many times before.

He continued that there were 400 drone attacks in the country but nobody raised their voice against them.

“Now that their slave has arrived, he will do their bidding,” Imran said, apparently referring to PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif.

Talking to the media outside the Adiala Jail, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the party would challenge the ‘Illegal’ marriage case verdict before the high court.

He added that an application to shift Bushra from Bani Gala residence to Adiala Jail would be submitted to the high court as well.

“If there are no holidays, we will submit the application today because Bushra Bibi did not go to the Bani Gala residence as part of some deal.”

Read Verdicts coming from ‘elsewhere’ merely being announced by ‘puppets’: Imran

Gohar claimed that the verdict was an attempt to subject Imran to character assassination, terming the ‘illegal’ marriage case “shameless and baseless”.

The PTI leader claimed that Imran was accused of “immorality” and sentenced to seven years in prison in a frivolous case.

He complained that the party was not even allowed the opportunity to present its evidence or show it during cross-examination.

Gohar said the decision was pronounced verbally and a copy of the written verdict was not provided to them.
“All this is happening for political motives” he added.

He pointed out that this was the first time in the county’s history that a political party’s internal polls had been challenged and it was deprived of its electoral symbol.

He hoped that the high court would deliver justice to Imran.

Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Bushra said it was a war of “honour” and “disgrace”, adding that the decision had to be made by the people.

She added that the matter of Iddat was clear in the Holy Quran. “My Lord has already told me about Iddat in the Holy Quran.”

She maintained that the verdict in the case was that of the Satan.